Sodapop's Story
by Michelle Amethyst
Summary: Sodapop reflects on how things have changed when he meets a girl; Keira is new in town and has secrets, but that doesnt stop Soda from wanting her.Is it possible for things to work out after the truth is told?Can she even survive long enough to find out?
1. A Mustang and a Meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders characters…. I do own Keira and whoever else might pop up that isn't in the original Outsiders 

Sodapop Curtis stared outside with a thoughtful expression playing on his face. He was sitting behind the counter of the DX station and watching the wind whip up dust clouds that formed dancing, flying flecks of earth. His playful brown eyes danced with memories of times that had come and gone. It wasn't every day that Sodapop sat still long enough to reflect on what his life consisted of in the present. He was the type to just take every change in stride; he figured he had plenty of time to worry about the future as it came to him. But today he allowed himself to reflect on how the past two years had gone down.

The reality was that not much had changed. There were still Greasers (there probably always be greasers in some sense as long as poverty was still around) and there were still some Socs around. The Soc class had admittedly thinned out as more of the West Side rich kids had discovered drugs and 'free love'-the hippie movement- but there were still some die-hards out there with clean cut hair and a bone to pick with whoever looked at them funny. His neighborhood sure hadn't changed and neither had his gang, at least not substantially. Ponyboy was a junior now, 16 going on 40 it seemed sometimes. The deaths of Dally and Johnny had matured him faster than he probably should have matured. He still had trouble using his god-given sense, but he was a lot better now. Two-Bit finally managed to make it to senior year, while his personality and rep remained intact. Steve was done with high school and working fulltime at the DX while he figured out what he wanted to do. His dad had laid off of him pretty much as soon as he had turned 18 but they still got in spats. He was saving up for a place of his own, but until then he would lay low at the Curtis house and bide his time. Darry had changed, although it was a change for the better. He had begun to master the art of transitioning from father- figure to big brother which resulted in the Curtis kids being stronger and tighter- knit than ever before.

Without realizing it Sodapop had also changed. They were subtle changes that no one commented too much about but they were still there. He was still bored easily, late always, and as handsome as ever. He still could make anyone crack a grin faster than they knew they could and he still listened and understood everything and everyone. He had used these skills to connect with people and to mend himself and help his family mend as well. He had become a bit calmer and as a result he had become more intuitive than ever. He could sense others feelings almost before humanly possible. If Ponyboy or Steve had something bugging them he could feel before even their faces registered it. He had also become an expert in silent communication with Darry. Darry didn't just up and talk about what was wrong with him and Soda had become Darry's rock with his silent understanding. He was pretty much the whole gang's unqualified therapist, which they all were thankful for in their own way.

He was snapped out of his reverie by the sound of someone pulling into the station. It was after noon, so he figured it wasn't any of the high school kids that usually came by on their lunch breaks. The station always got a lot of business when Steve and Sodapop were working, but it usually tapered off when school was in session. He went outside and saw a tuff car. It was a blue-green convertible '64 Mustang with black interior and for some reason a small trailer hitched to the back. He saw some movement behind the trailer and heard the back doors slam shut. He walked over to the car and was preparing to offer his services to the customer when he saw her come around and from behind the trailer and look around at the street in front of the station. She was tall, maybe about 5'8, with a slender yet curvy body. She had long light brown hair that stopped a little lower than the middle of her back. When she turned and saw Sodapop he got a good look at her face. She had beautiful hazel eyes fringed with thick black lashes, her eyes seemed to remind him of something but he couldn't quite place it. She had full lips and her tan skin seemed to highlight how pink her lips were. Soda noticed that she didn't seem to have a stitch of make-up on, which was uncommon for most of the girls he came into contact with, and yet she was undeniably beautiful.

"Hey there, need some help?" Soda asked, once he had regained his powers of speech.

She looked at him in away that suggested that she was taking him in with her eyes in one glance. Soda though he saw something like interest pass behind her eyes but they returned to normal before he could figure it out.

"Yeah, I was hoping to fill up," she said. Soda liked the way her voice sounded. It wasn't brassy and obnoxious like the girls he knew. It was strong and clear but melodic at the same time.

"Sure," Soda said as he began to fill up her tank. He glanced at the license plates as she reached the drivers side door and opened it up. New York. She bent down and popped the latch to release the hood. He watched her as she walked to the front of the car and lifted the hood. He heard her fidget with the oil dipstick and as he was just about to place the gas nozzle back on its hook he heard her mutter something under her breath. He walked over to her and saw her trying to tighten something with her bare hands.

"Do you have a socket wrench it that garage of yours?" She asked, glancing up at him. Soda was slightly surprised at the request but went to the garage to grab one. Steve was too busy under a car to notice that his tool was about to be swiped to be used by some girl.

"Here, um… Whats your name?" Soda asked as he handed her the wrench. She took it and began to deftly tighten a bolt that apparently was too loose for her satisfaction. When she was done she turned to him and handed the wrench back.

"I'm Keira. Keira Rodriguez. Thanks for letting me borrow the wrench, um… What do they call you?" She asked with a small smile on her face.

"Sodapop Curtis. Most people just call me Soda though," he said and for once there wasn't a surprised look on her face. Ponyboy and Soda used to joke about how hard it was for people to understand they weren't kidding when they told people their name.

"Cool name," she said. "My middle name is kind of random too." She gave out a small laugh as she said that.

"What's your middle name?" he asked, his interest peaked. Her eyes danced as she answered him.

"I don't usually tell strangers. Sorry about that," she laughed again. She didn't know why she suddenly felt so lighthearted. She hadn't felt the least bit like smiling in months, and here she was standing outside at a gas station in Tulsa, Oklahoma with a guy she didn't know with eyes that were making her smile in spite of herself.

"We might have to fix that sometime soon, unless you're just passing through?" Soda hadn't meant to question her but he wanted to know all he could for some odd reason. He saw her eyes cloud and he could have kicked himself.

"No, I'm not passing through. I guess I'm here to stay, for awhile at least," she said, the smile dying on her lips. He didn't press her further, afraid to make her look any more unhappy. She seemed to be thinking about something and she suddenly snapped her eyes to him and smiled a small smile again.

"Look, I just got here and I have no idea where I'm going. My mom is supposed to live around here somewhere but I can't find her street on my map, it might be outdated, I don't know. Do you think you could give me directions?"

"Sure, where are you headed?"

"Autumn Estates?" She glanced hopefully at him.

Soda felt his heart sink slightly. Autumn Estates was a new community for the elite. He didn't doubt it wasn't on her map, hell, it wasn't even on his. But he knew how to get there and gave her directions. As she listened to him rattle on about how to navigate herself he smiled at the fact that when she seemed to be listening intently at something her eyes seemed to turn more green than anything else. As she began to walk towards her car after paying she turned and threw him a smile. His heart leapt again as he watched her.

"So what is there to do in this town?" She asked as reached her car. Her hand was on her door, yet she made no move to get in.

"Lots if you know the right people," Soda joked. She smiled at that and her eyes drank him in once again.

"Who would those people be?" She said with a mock serious tone.

"Well, I have been told in the past that I am an expert in getting around this town. I could show you around sometime," he said with an air of mock superiority.

"Sounds like a plan. Here's my number," she said as she handed him a piece of paper that she had been scribbling on a moment before. She threw him one last smile and drove off, leaving Soda staring off after her. He smiled to himself and for the first time since Sandy left he actually cared to call a girl who had given him her number. Even thinking about Sandy didn't give him the usual pang in the chest it usually did. He grinned even wider and ran to the garage to tell Steve what just happened.

As Keira pulled into the driveway of her mother's house her breath caught in her throat. She had never seen a single home as big as this in all her 18 going on 19 years. She wasn't necessarily surprised though, if he really thought about it. Her mother had traded in her old life for a new and improved one. She was reluctant to see her mother after the last decade without her, but what choice did she have? She left New York for a reason. She needed to lay low, and how much more obscure could you get than Tulsa? When her mother contacted her after her dad died suddenly a few months ago, she had debated with herself whether or not she should accept her mom's offer or not. Ultimately she had decided to put her pride aside and just use her mother as a means to an end.

She stopped her car in the middle of the long driveway and slowly stepped out. She saw the front door open and she held her breath without meaning to. This was going to interesting to say the least. She began to walk toward the door and ceased to think. Going through the motions had become second nature to her now. Yet as much as she willed herself to cease to think, to keep her emotions in check, asset of beautiful eyes kept drifting into her thoughts unwilling to be ignored. They were dancing, reckless eyes. They belonged to a guy that worked at a certain DX gas station. She smiled inside.

A/N- My first fanfic. I have the story essentially planned in my head, so there will be more chapters. Please read and Review!


	2. A Mother and a Fight

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders characters. Enjoy the chapter!**

Keira enjoyed the feeling of so much power beneath her. She glanced down at her motorcycle and smiled slightly, remembering how long it had taken her and her father to rebuild it. The wind was whistling in her ears and her hair was whipping her face, but she didn't mind a bit. Lately, the only time she could feel free was when she was speeding around on her bike, taking turns too fast and feeling the air caress her skin.

She had only been driving around for about twenty minutes and already she had seen the whole town and all the major hang out spots for kids her age. She had gotten a fair number of looks as she passed by some movie hang-outs and some burger joints. She really didn't give a damn. She hadn't come to Tulsa to make friends, she'd come here to lay low and figure out her next move. At this thought, Keira shut her mind off to memories of New York. She instead let her mind drift to the scene earlier in the afternoon with her mother. She sighed aloud remembering.

Keira had been ushered into the gigantic house and had gotten a good look at her mother, the one who took off a decade before. Her mother, Carmen, had looked almost exactly like she had the day she left an 8 going-on 9 Keira alone with her dad. Her face had a few more lines on it, but her hazel eyes, so much like Keira's hadn't changed. They had stared out at her behind her perfectly applied make-up and they seemed to be cold. She had kept her figure, which was a good sign for Keira as she got older, but thats where the likeness had stopped. When her mother left, Keira had known that she was a selfish woman, only intent on trading up and out of New York. Carmen had never been satisfied living in Harlem, and she had always hated the fact that they had been a little lower than middle class. When she had left she had kissed Keira good-bye and made some vague promise to send for her when she found a decent place to live. Keira remembered that day as vividly as it had been yesterday.

She had been standing in the doorway of her bedroom watching her father sit on the couch in the living room looking defeated and old when her mother glanced at her and said, "I'll send for you soon, OK? _Mija_, don't look at me like that!"

Keira had cried that day. It was actually the last time she had ever cried. Through her tears she managed to say coldly, "Don't bother. You leave now, and your dead to me." Her young child voice had been deathly low and serious. As the tears continued to fall her mother had only looked at her in a surprised way and then said, "One day, you'll understand." and she had left.

Keira's father had come over to her and put his hand on her shoulder and said, "OK, baby, stop crying. I need you to be strong for me, OK? I need you to be strong..." Her tears had dried up immediately, and deep down she knew that if she cried anymore her dad would lose it and break down completely. She never cried again, although she had tried. The tears refused to run, as if she had shut down the part of her that was able to feel that day.

When she had seen her mother again today she had the image of her fathers broken hearted face in her mind and she had seethed inwardly. Her mother noticed the anger blazing in her eyes but continued to stare at her coldly. She had led her through the house and into the backyard where there was a small pool house. She gave her a key that unlocked the front door of the main house and the pool house and said, "This is where you're going to be living. You're 18 now, so I think you can handle living out here. You can use the main house as you need to but everything you need is in the pool house. If you would like you can meet your step-father and your younger half-brother later this evening. We eat dinner at exactly 6 pm and you're welcome to join us." As her mother recited this carefully concocted speech, Keira felt stunned. She had a baby brother? When had that happened? She had received a birthday card every odd year or so, but there never had been any mention of a son. Her mother had mentioned that she had married a rich doctor-type and was living in Tulsa but never did she mention a little boy.

"You have a son?" Keira asked, wanting to clarify her mother's brisk statement.

"Yes, his name is James, after his father, but he mainly goes by Jaime." She had a small smile on her lips as she said this. Carmen had never forgiven herself for leaving her daughter. She had envisioned Jamie as the answer to her prayers, a way to rectify the mistakes she had made in her old life. She knew that when her daughter had uttered those words of dismissal with such finality, she would never again be her mother. Jamie had only known his mother to be what she was now, nice and loving if distant and somewhat selfish. But Jamie had such material happiness that he didn't mind that his mother would often rather go to the country club than go to the park with him.

"And your husband? He doesn't mind that I'm crashing here for awhile?" Keira asked with a cold look on her face. Keira wondered exactly what her mother had told him of her old life. The life she had left in Harlem, the life that had her cleaning office buildings in Manhattan. She would take the bus to and from the lower side of the borough and had clipped coupons and fought with her husband in those days. She didn't look like she had clipped coupons since then.

"He understands the situation, what with your father being killed and all," she said almost nonchalantly until she saw the look of fury cross her daughters face. She quickly tried to look apologetic and said quickly, "Well, you know what I mean. He knows about the situation and has been looking forward to meeting you for some time."

Keira digested the information and silently willed her mother to leave her alone. As if she had read her mind Carmen slowly walked away. Keira then spent the remainder of the afternoon unpacking her belongings from her trailer. Later around dinner time Keira had seen a car pull into the driveway slowly. She guessed it was her step-father, James. Instead of greeting him, however, she pulled out the keys to her black Honda motorcycle and drove off. She had been driving around since. She found herself getting thirsty so she stopped by a liquor store in what looked to be the "good" side of town. She rummaged around in the cooler after entering the store and grabbed a Pepsi before walking to the counter. Behind her, she felt eyes watching her. She heard male whispers and ignored them.

"Hey baby, you new in town? I thought I knew all the best looking broads in town. You must be new. What's your name honey?" The voice sounded slightly drunk and she turned around, her eyes blazing. The voice belonged to a tall blond guy with blue eyes and a crooked smile. He would have been handsome if he didn't have pock marks from his acne days. She didn't care if he was Rico Suave, she couldn't stand guys who talked to her like she was a piece of ass who's sole mission in life should be to please jerks like him.

"Fuck you, don't talk to me you no brain drunken ape!" She said in a low, dangerous voice. The guys that stood behind the drunk kid laughed, but the ape's eyes flashed. His leering smile vanished and he stood taller, and would have looked intimidating to anyone else besides Keira.

"Look Babe, no broad is going to talk to me like that. You may be new so I'm gonna let that slide but for future reference don't go talking like that to Pat Murphy again, you understand?" He gave her a hard look. She turned back around and payed for her Pepsi and a pack of smokes. As she started to leave Pat came up and grabbed her arm, hard. She wrenched away and gave him a right hook across the face.

" I'll make you a deal okay Pat," she kept her dangerous tone. "You don't talk to me, I wont talk to you and you live to see another day. You savvy?" She watched Pat rub his face and she knew she had hurt him. With that she turned and walked outside, sipping her soda calmly. She downed her Pepsi and was tossing the bottle in a near-by bin when the guys came outside. Pat was throwing death glares at her and she laughed. The guys seemed to be thinking of walking over to her to try and start something, but Keira merely hopped back on her bike and sped off. She didn't want to deal with punk jocks who never heard the word "No".

The sun had begun to set when she reached the East side of town. She had passed the DX station and smiled slightly, remembering the handsome guy she had met earlier. She kept her eyes peeled for a secluded spot to sit and smoke. She wasn't disappointed when she saw a small abandoned lot near some run-down houses. She pulled into the lot and killed the engine. The night wasn't cold but she still had some goosebumps as she lay down on the grass. Her jeans kept her legs warm but her bare arms and her slightly bare belly were exposed to the slightly crisp air. She glanced down at her black v-neck t-shirt and wondered if she would ever start dressing like a girly-girl. As she smoked her cigarette and looked up at the sky she felt a sense of calm that hadn't come in a long time. She could remember the day that she realized things in her old gang weren't right. As she began to allow herself to think about what had happened in New York her thoughts were interrupted by a husky female voice.

"Well look at that bike. I could hawk it or sell it off piece by piece and make a pretty penny." The girl that was advancing on Keira and the bike was a large greasy looking girl with loud make-up and a brassy voice.

_Damn_, Keira thought, _can't a girl get some peace around here? _She lifted herself up into a seated position and continued to smoke silently. The girl had a few friends behind her but she was larger and looked like she was itching for a fight. Keira recognized the look in her eyes from so many others she had known in New York.

"I'd like to see you try it," Keira said simply. She saw the girl smile a dangerous sort of smile, but Keira didn't scare easy. She knew what real danger was and this wasn't it.

"I think she's challenging you Dora." One of Dora's friends piped up. Keira slowly rose to her full height and flicked her cigarette away.

"I think you're right Penny. What do you guys think? D o you think I can take this skinny doll?" Dora asked her friends, snickering. There was a murmur of approval, they had seen Dora in action before and she used her weight to her advantage. Keira sighed and waited for the inevitable. Dora didn't disappoint. She lunged at Keira, while Keira easily sidestepped her. The girls were now calling loudly for Dora to beat the pretty bitch down.

"Come on Dora, show her who's boss! This pretty pansy is just goading you! You can take her!" Penny had shouted into the still night air. From the corner of Keira's eye she saw more people approaching. They all looked young, slouchy with hair that was greased and hungry looks in their eyes. Dora again tried to hit her and again Keira was too quick. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a familiar face. Was it Soda? Keira became distracted enough for Dora's fist to connect with her cheek. She felt slightly dizzy with the heavy blow but she wasn't out of the fight by any means.

Keira advanced on Dora and blocked a punch, taking advantage of the fact that Dora had lost her balance slightly as she had thrown all her weight behind it. She gave Dora a quick left hook and a jab to the eye before Dora could re-position herself. The blows from Keira knocked her back slightly and she noticed there was a circle that had formed around them. Keira could hear people getting off to the "chick fight" and they called for it to continue. Dora had an furious look on her face, she hadn't expected Keira to know how to fight. She smiled menacingly and pulled a switchblade out of the front pocket of her jeans. As she flicked it open and smiled again, Keira let out a sigh. She heard someone yell, "Watch out!" and she sensed that someone from the crowd was fighting to get to the front. But she wasn't fazed. She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her butterfly fly. She flipped it open with a flick of her wrist and stood ready.

Dora lunged forward, the knife in her hand was glistening under the street lamp. Keira kicked the knife out of her hand and gave her a right- hook to her jaw. Dora was stunned and Keira used the opportunity to kick her legs out from beneath her, toppling her to the ground. The crowd that had gathered had gone silent but she could still hear someone pushing their way to the front. She placed her knee on Dora's chest and put the knife to her throat lightly.

"I didn't want to fight you. You cant have my bike, you cant beat me, so why don't you just go home?" Keira said quietly, her voice edged with fury.

She let Dora up and walked to her bike, tense and ready to attack if Dora decided she wanted to continue. As she lit another cigarette she watched Dora and her friends walk away, casting angry glances over their shoulders. The kids that had gathered began to dissipate and Keira let out a long breath. As she took a drag she noticed a small group of guys walking towards her. She tensed up automatically until she saw one of the guys clearly. His dark gold hair and his dancing brown eyes made her relax almost instantly. He had a grin on his face as he approached her with a few other smiling guys.

"So, you can fight. I might have to hire you as my body guard." Soda said through his grin. Keira smiled a little at his joke and let the guys approach.

"Lordy, Soda, you know this tough broad? And I thought you only went for blondes!" A guy with long rust colored sideburns joked.

"No, that's you Two-Bit, you dummy." A younger guys piped in, Keira noticed he looked an awful lot like Soda, only with light colored eyes and dreamier looking.

"Yeah, I guess you're right Ponyboy. I'm always forgetting things like that. Good thing I have a punk kid like you to remind me where my ass and my head are." Two- bit joked.

"They are in the same place, ass hat!" Another guy spoke up. He looked slightly aloof, like he wanted nothing but to stay removed from the world. His hair had random, complicated swirls worked into it with grease.

"Watch your mouth Steve, or I'll show you where your ass is, as I'm kicking it!" Two- Bit said with a laugh. The guys stared at her with mixtures of awe and curiosity. Keira finished her smoke and stuck out her hand. "I'm Keira, its nice to meet you guys. Hey Soda, whats going on?" She said as she smiled at the gang.

"This is the girl you told me about, Soda? Wow, I thought you were exaggerating, but she is-" Ponyboy was quickly elbowed in the ribs by Steve. Keira had a small smile playing on her lips as she watched Sodapop's ears turn red.

"Is this your bike?" Soda asked trying to recover from his obvious embarrassment. He walked over to it and glanced around it.

"Yeah, me and my dad re-built it. We used to buy junkers cheap and rebuild them all the time. It was our hobby I guess you could say," Keira said, her voice was tinged with sadness and she realized it to late.

"So what are you guys doing here?" She asked trying to sound cheerful. The guys had continued to stare at her and it was starting to make her feel exposed.

"We live down the block a little ways. " Soda explained pointing down the street.

"Yeah, and we heard there was a chick fight and we just couldn't resist," Two-bit smiled crookedly at her.

She laughed and said, "Well I hope you enjoyed the show. I wasn't aiming for a fight but that girl wouldn't take no for an answer. That and she wanted my bike, and no one is gonna take this bike from me." Her voice had hardened with her last sentence. She mentally kicked herself. Soda had been staring at her and he approached her now. He lifted his hand to her face and it felt warm against her cold cheek. His eyes were on her cheek and he touched it gently. She winced and realized that it was hurting.

"You're bleeding," He said softly. The guys were looking away now, talking low amongst themselves as if to give Soda some privacy with this new girl.

"I think she had a ring on. She only hit me once when I got distracted. I thought I saw you, but I wasn't sure. She got me pretty good, actually." Keira had no problem giving credit where credit was due and Dora was a good fighter. Just not good enough against Keira. She blushed slightly however, as she realized that she had admitted that she got distracted by Soda. Or the thought of him anyway, seeing as how she didn't know he was there until after the fight.

Soda smiled at her statement and his heart glowed at the thought. "Well look, why don't you come on by my house and we'll clean it up. We have some food and drinks there too if you're hungry, " His voice sounded hopeful and gentle.

She couldn't help but grin at his offer. She winced again and realized she shouldn't be smiling so big right then. She nodded and began to follow the guys towards a small house. The porch light was left on and she thought it looked really cozy. She was walking her bike nearer with Soda next to her. She noticed he was sneaking glances at her and grinning to himself. She felt a strange sensation just then, like her heart was warming her up from the inside. She felt confusion and wariness but these emotions were soon crowded out by a feeling of peace and something else she couldn't quite place. It was as if a part of heart was waking up, after never being aroused, she didn't understand what it was. As she followed the guys into the house she stopped in her tracks and took a glance around.

Soda had sensed her stop and watched her as she looked up into the sky for a second, a strange expression on her face. It was as if she was scared and happy at the same time. She looked at him and her smile returned. Soda held out his hand and she took it. With the gentle contact they were both warmed and he led her into the house with his heart lighter than it had been in years. For some reason Keira felt like she was home.

**A/N: Please Read and Review. I will write more if reviews come in and I can see that you guys dig my story. Constructive criticism is always nice, so please drop me a line if you like this. Thanks!**


	3. Dinner and a Story

**A/N- I do not own the Outsiders. Duh. **

"Can I see your blade?" Ponyboy asked Keira as the gang sat around and began talking over each other as usual. Keira reached into her back pocket and slowly retrieved her butterfly knife from it. She handed it to Ponyboy with a smirk on her face.

"There you go. Be careful, I keep it sharp." She said simply. She watched as Ponyboy attempted to master the wrist movements that were necessary when using a butterfly knife. He kept trying to open it as smoothly as Keira had but wasn't getting the hang of it. After one attempt he almost cut himself and dropped the knife. Two-bit began laughing at Ponyboy as he blushed at his own clumsiness.

"Come on kid! It ain't Rocket science!" Two- bit said as he picked up the blade and began to attempt what he had seen Keira do. He too failed miserably. He began to look slightly irritated and embarassed as well when Ponyboy snickered at him. ":Not rocket science eh? Good thing you dont work on no rockets!"

Keira laughed lightly at this comment and noticed that Sodapop was watching her. She looked at him with a smile. He stood up and motioned for her to follow him. Keira glanced around at the boys and saw that they had began to try and outdo each other with her knife, each struggling to work it. They seemed intent on the task but she noticed that they were watching her and Soda's interaction out of the corner of their eyes.

When Soda reached the bathroom he turned to her and smiled as he said, "How about we fix up that cheek of yours?" He began to gather up what he needed and led her to the closed toilet seat. As he perched on the edge of the tub facing her he began to soak a cotton ball with peroxide.

"This might sting a bit..." Soda trailed off as he placed one hand on her uninjured cheek and turned her face so it was closer to him. He brought the peroxide soaked cotton to her cut and began to wipe gently. She didn't allow herself to wince at the sting but she saw Soda eyeing her as if he knew it had stung and she had repressed her reaction.

He continued his minstrations and finally the blood was gone and her cut was clean. She continued to watch him as he tossed the bloody cotton ball away and put some Neosporin on his finger preparing to put some on her cut.

She enjoyed looking at his eyes. They were a light brown that seemed to glow with some inner strength and joy. She wondered if she was seeing things, but she could almost see a deep sadness that lay in his face despite his joyous nature. She wondered if maybe he might be someone with whom she could tell her story to. She had a feeling he had his own story just lurking beneath those beautiful eyes.

Soda began to gently dab the gel substance on her cut and glanced at her eyes. He realized then that she had been staring intently at him. He didn't blush or try to use his humor to lighten the mood.

No, he liked the mood that surrounded them. It was charged and electric. He looked into her hazel eyes and saw a familiar emotion, an emotion he had noticed in his own eyes since his parents and friends had died. Sadness. It made his heart constrict at the thought that she also felt such a crushing emotion.

He continued to stroke her cheek absentmindedly as he watched her. Suddenly a devious smile began to form on her face.

"What?" Soda questioned the smirk that was now on her face. She said nothing but suddenly leaned forward and kissed his cheek. She leaned closer to his ear and whispered lightly, "Thank you Soda." Her breath tickled and sent a shudder through him. She began to pull back but Soda had his own devious thoughts and stopped her. He slowly and gently captured her mouth in his in a chaste kiss. Moments passed and finally he broke contact and bent forward to whisper in her ear, " Anytime." He saw a shiver run through her as well. His smile grew as he pulled back completely, and not a moment too soon.

Darry cleared his throat behind Keira's back and they slowly moved away from one another as Keira turned to see who had been watching. Her cheeks held a hint of a blush but she didn't hide her eyes from the tall man before her.

"Hey Darry! How was work?" Soda asked enthusiastically, still sitting on the edge of the tub. Darry raised his eyebrow in response.

"Darry? Hi, I'm Keira. I just moved here." Keira stood and stuck her hand out for Darry to shake. As he shook her hand he appreciated her firm handshake and admired her straight forward attitude. He also wasnt blind to her gorgeous looks. He smiled at her and shared a knowing look with Soda before saying, "Nice to meet new friends. Dinner's ready when you guys are done in here." He winked and left.

Keira's cheeks still held a hint of pink as she glanced at Soda before beginning to follow Darry down the hall and towards the kitchen. Soda grinned ruefully as he followed behind Keira allowing his gaze wander down to watch the gentle swaying of her hips as she walked.

Dinner was a loud affair, full of jokes, clowning around and retelling of the days events. Two-bit had spent the last five minutes giving Darry and the rest of the group a complete recap of Keira's fight with the help of Ponyboy.

"And that's when Dora got laid out! Darry you should have been there man! Wicked swing and leg swipe and the broad was down. It was beautiful! That is skill, and it got even better when Keira really finished the fight. She put the blade down to Dora's throat…and basically told her to fuck off!! Amazing…" Two-bit gushed and looked at Keira in admiration. Keira looked down at her food and looked up to see Darry watching her expression.

Darry noticed that there was no pride in hearing her actions recounted. There was no shame either. In fact if anyone were to really look at Keira they would see a carefully controlled mask that hid any and all emotion, leaving her looking blank but still vivid.

Soda saw this as well and quickly changed the subject. The conversation flitted between different light topics that kept everyone entertained. Everyone brought the plates to the sink and walked back to the living room. Keira placed her dish in the sink and began to wash it and the others. Darry and Soda tried to get her to stop but she insisted on helping.

"So how are you feeling after your eventful night kiddo?" Darry asked glancing at her out of the corner of his eye as he placed the leftovers in the fridge. He saw her tense slightly next to Soda as she washed and he dried.

" I don't like having to fight for no reason. I tried to tell her to back off. She didn't want to. I guess I'm just tired of having to fight." Keira said quietly, almost as if speaking to herself. She seemed to realize how pitiful that must have sounded because both guys were now staring at her with strange expressions. Like a mixture of worry and comprehension.

"I'm glad you feel that way. We got mixed up in some senseless fighting and ended up losing a couple of our own." Darry said, his usual hard as nails voice and demeanor dropping.

Keira glanced at Soda and saw that his eyes seemed to hold even more of the deep sadness she had seen earlier. It made her heart feel heavy in her chest. She had begun to love looking at his eyes and seeing a reckless joy that made her feel lighter than she ever had.

Darry smiled at her as he walked out of the kitchen leaving Soda and Keira to finish up. Keira finished up the last dishes and dried her hands. Soda seemed to be thinking deeply as he absentmindedly finished putting the dishes away. Keira's curiosity got the best of her.

"What happened Soda?" Keira was looking at Soda with a soft expression in her eyes and he thought that when they looked like this they seemed more green than hazel. He felt compelled to share with her what happened two years ago, starting with his parents death.

Soda's story ended in the living room. The gang had vacated leaving Soda to finish his tale alone. Keira had been a good listener, occasionally asking questions but mainly just absorbing the events that had forever changed Soda and the gang.

Keira sat next to Soda on the couch absentmindedly tracing patterns on Soda's jean clad leg as she thought about the information she had just taken in. Soda watched her eyes as she sat silently next to him. They had a faraway look, as if she were remembering something that had happened to her that was all to familiar to what had happened to him.

"Hey...You ok?" Soda asked gently. That snapped Keira out of her reverie and her eyes flew up to meet Soda's. She felt exposed, and quickly glanced away.

"Yeah, I was just thinking." Her hands continued to trace lightly on his leg of their own volition." I'm really sorry Soda. I understand how hard that is to deal with."

Soda noted that her voice held a sadness that could only come from personal experience and he had to bite his tongue from asking her what had happened to her.

He gently placed an arm around her and smiled as she relaxed into his side. He turned on the t.v and settled on an old movie before glancing at Keira. Her eyes seemed more caramel and her face seemed to have softened as she watched the actors on the t.v screen. His own eyes went back to the screen and relaxed.

An hour later Ponyboy walked into the room and found Sodapop and Keira asleep on the couch. Keira's head lay on Soda's chest. She lloked peaceful and young. Soda's head was tilted back slightly against the back of the couch while his arm was still wrapped protectively around Keira.

Ponyboy grabbed the blanket that was kept on the recliner and spread it out ove the sleeping pair. He silently left the room and smiled to himself on his way out.


	4. Nightmares and a Smile

**A/N- I do not own the outsiders obviously. Also, anything in italics in this chapter is either a dream or a thought. Thanks for tuning in kiddos :)**

_Keira looked over her shoulder and saw three figures chasing her down a dark and lonely street. The streetlights flickered and the moon was nowhere to be seen. She ran with all the strength she possessed and she could still feel them gaining on her. _

_Her mind was racing as fast as her legs were, trying to figure a way out of this mess. She had ditched the heater she had used to get herself in this disaster when she was running past an abandoned alley that housed several dumpsters. All she had left on her was her knife and the goods she had jacked from the crazy assholes who were on her tail. _

_Her lip was split from her near miss with the tall one, Jay, and her shoulder was aching from where the stocky one, Leo, had thrown her into a wall. That had been her cue to run. Now with the devil nipping on her heels and no way to lose them in sight she began to panic. Fuck. _

_The stitch in her side from running all out was becoming too much. She had very few options but she had to keep going unless she wanted to end up dead. Adrenaline surged as she realized that she still had not completed her mission. As she continued to run she reached into her purposely too loose jeans and retrieved her prize. 6 kilos of heroin taped together ready to be cut and handed out like candy were now clutched in her hands. _

_Heroin in this form was easy enough to dispose of on the run. She drew her butterfly knife from her pocket and flicked it open. She could hear the angry taunts from Jay and Manuel coming from behind her. They sounded close. Too close. _

_Her heart continued its rapid pace and even increased at the thought of them so close to her. She slashed the plastic wrapped kilos down the center, each in turn, and held them away from her. She spared a glance over her shoulder and saw that the dust was flying behind her and creating swirling clouds of poison before disappearing into the still night air. _

_The guys behind her saw what she had done and seemed to grow angrier. They seemed to fly at her like hornets. She was losing. They were only a couple feet away at this point. Suddenly the ground rushed up to meet her. She only had a second to register that fact before she was violently flipped over so that she lay on her back against the cold asphalt. Leo had straddled her and had his hands around her neck. _

"_Any last words, bitch? You just cost us more money than your worth, so trust me when I say that was the last thing you will ever do." He spat the words at her, his face contorted in pure rage. Keira looked into his eyes and the guys that were watching her were shocked to see no fear in them. _

"_Yeah, I have some last words for you. Fuck. You," She spit in his face as she said this. Leo began to crush her windpipe. He smiled a sadistic smile, and Keira continued to hold his gaze even as the edges of her vision started to blacken._

_Keira felt as if she were watching this from the sidelines. She watched as Leo continued to choke the life out of her. She saw her right hand lift of its own volition before anyone registered what she was doing. She her reflection on one side of her blade before she had plunged it to the hilt into Leo._

_The look of pure shock that crossed Leo's face was almost comical, but Keira couldn't bring herself to feel anything but relief as she began to breath freely once again. She felt more than saw Leo falling backwards from his position atop her. She heard more than felt Jay and Manual rush to Leo and try and stem the flow of blood._

_Keira mustered her remaining strength and scrambled out of arms reach. She saw blood beginning trickle down Leo's chin. His eyes stared at her with confusion and hate. She turned and ran. _

Keira shot up from her sleep in a state of pure terror. Her breathing was erratic and she shaking something fierce. She closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing when she realized she wasn't alone. She felt a hand run slowly up her back finding its resting place on the back of her neck. Her heartbeat quickened as she slowly glanced behind her to see who was touching her.

Her scared gold-green eyes met warm brown eyes and she let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. Soda reached the arm that was not caressing her neck around her waist and gently brought her towards him. She allowed him to bring her into his embrace and put her head in the crook of his neck. Soda held her like that for a few minutes as he felt her shaking ease and stop completely. He felt like he was dealing with a skittish horse and tried his best to relax her. He rubbed circles on her back and continued his gentle caresses on her neck. When she seemed completely aware and calm once again he kissed her cheek gently and asked if she was alright.

She pulled back slightly and once again took comfort in his eyes. She felt better when she saw the warmth there. She slowly nodded her head at his question and tried to find her voice. She hated anyone seeing her like this. She felt weak and pitiful, something she knew she couldn't afford to be. She hated the nightmares the came every night without fail. She hated that she had to relive details she would rather forget. But most of all she hated how it was all her fault.

"It was just a nightmare." She whispered more to herself than to Soda. She looked away from him, and continued, "I get them a lot. You would think I would be used to them by now. I'm sorry for waking you up." At her last statement she realized that she had been asleep on the couch of a home that wasn't her own. She made a move to get up when Soda gently but firmly held her in place.

"Hey there, where do you think you're going?" His smile was sweet and kind. She glanced at the clock on wall.

"Soda, its 2 in the morning. I shouldn't be here right now. I didn't mean to fall asleep here, and I should probably get going."

"You should just stay here. We always have room for anyone who needs a place to crash. We have a kind of open door policy in our house. Anyone is welcome. You're already here, and its late. Just stay?" His tone was hopeful and Keira couldn't help but smile. She knew she should probably leave but she had felt so safe in Soda's arms when he was calming her down. Breathing in his scent was enough to bring her down from her frightening nightmare. Truth be told she always hated being alone when her dreams turned ugly, reminding her of her past.

She didn't respond. She simply laid back down on the couch bringing Soda with her. As they stretched out on the couch Soda positioned his arm beneath her head and held her close with his other arm. Keira once again snuggled into his neck and his scent instantly soothed her. He smelled so good. Like soap, rosewood and something she was sure was just him. Her eyes began to feel heavy and she closed them hoping the nightmare wouldn't come again. Soda waited until he heard her breathing become even and slow before he closed his own eyes.

Darry was always the first Curtis to wake up every morning. He knew how hard it was to get Ponyboy and Soda up in the morning and he knew that if he didn't do it they would be late to whatever they had to do. He didn't mind being the first one up either, it had its perks. He showered first, got the coffee at its hottest and didn't have to rush around like a chicken with his head cut off.

After his usual morning shower he decided to poke his head in Soda and Ponyboy's room before he went to start breakfast. He was about to shake Ponyboy awake when he realized something was off. Where the hell was Sodapop? He nudged Ponyboy and got the usual muffled grunt of "Ten more minutes!"

Darry sighed and knit his brows in confusion. He hadn't heard Sodapop get up early or come in late. He walked to the kitchen and glanced around. Something caught his eye and he glanced at the living room. He saw part of a blanket hanging off the side of the couch and he walked over.

Darry stopped short and took in the scene. Soda and Keira were blissfully unaware of the world outside their dreams an each others limbs. Darry saw that one or both had kicked off a blanket leaving them exposed. Their legs were twined together and Soda had one arm acting as pillow to Keira and the other was on her back. Under her shirt. Keira had a hand on Soda's chest and the other at his waist. Her head was still resting at the juncture where Soda's neck met his shoulder with her lips almost brushing his neck.

Darry didn't entirely know what to make of this. He knew Soda was no innocent, but it didn't look like anything had happened. They looked peaceful just sleeping like that, as if they had taken comfort in each other in the still of the night. Darry didn't mind that his couch was bed to most of the gang at one time or another when they needed it, and he didn't mind that Keira obviously needed it last night. No, he had taken a liking to the girl. She was sweet, tough and she seemed wise. He admired that in anyone.

Darry leaned over the back of the couch and gently shook Sodapop awake. He saw Soda's eyes open slowly and land on him. He glanced down quickly at Keira and then stared back at Darry. Soda couldn't help the silly grin that began to form on his face. Without meaning to Darry began to grin back. The twinkle in Soda's eyes was enough for Darry to forget any misgivings he might have had about walking in on this scene. He hadn't seen Soda's eyes sparkle like that since Sandy had left. It had been too long in Darry's opinion. Darry mouthed 'Breakfast in 10 minutes' to Soda before he took his leave.

Soda stroked Keira's bare back and she began to stir. He saw her eyes flutter open and he smiled down at her. She returned it and took one last long inhalation of his scent before pulling away from his neck. Soda couldn't resist and leaned forward to find her lips for a quick peck. He pulled away with a wink and grin.

Keira blushed slightly but couldn't help but smile back as she felt the after tingles on her lips from the brief contact. She sat up slowly feeling the loss of warmth from Soda's body. Soda jumped up and ran to the kitchen as Keira pulled her shoes on and prepared to leave.

Keira made her way to the kitchen to say thanks and goodbye. She saw Darry making scrambled eggs on the stove and Soda opening up the fridge to retrieve what looked like cake. She cleared her throat before speaking.

"Thanks for letting me crash on your couch. I appreciate it. I'm going to head out now." Before she could finish her goodbye Darry began to speak.

"Stay for some breakfast before you head out, kiddo. Oh, and if you can, do you think you can go and get Ponyboy out here?"

Keira might as well have known the Curtis's for years the way she was being treated. And she liked it. It was as if she had been taken under the family wing, as if they sensed she had no real family anymore and she desperately wanted one. She smiled to herself before saying thanks and proceeding to what she had seen to be Ponyboy's room.

Keira slowly nudged the half open door in and walked around to the side of the bed that Ponyboy was draped over. When she was a kid her dad would wake her up in creative ways. He would either stomp in and squirt her face with a water bottle and then run out laughing to himself or he would open the blinds and start singing any loud song that popped into his head. She smiled at the thought of her absolute favorite way of getting woken up. She decided that she would introduce Ponyboy to this method.

She found his arms and began to walk her fingers up them. She saw Ponyboy's eyes began to flutter open. She smirked as her fingers continued their upward journey until they reached near his arm pits. She began to tickle him mercilessly and she knew he was now awake. His laughter began softly and grew in volume as she continued to tickle him awake.

She laughed as Ponyboy tried to wiggle away from her grasp. His breathing was coming in pants between fits of laughter. "Hey, I'm up, I'm up. Oh god, stop!" he laughed harder. Keira ceased her tickling torture and sat on the desk chair. She laughed again, happy to have shown someone the joys of waking up to laughter and lightheartedness.

"Good, I'm glad your up. Darry says breakfast will be ready soon. I'm sure you have school and all that jazz so don't go back to sleep, or else I'll have to wake you up again and I can't guarantee it'll be by tickling."She smirked as she stood up but smiled warmly before she left the room. She heard Ponyboy getting up as she headed back to the kitchen.

"Hey what was all that giggling about?" Soda asked Keira as she came into view. He had an eyebrow cocked and was looking at her curiously. Keira smiled in response and laughed a little at his facial expression.

"Mission accomplished, he's up. I just introduced him to one of my many ways of waking people up. I tickled him silly is all." She grinned.

"What other ways do you have for waking people up?" Soda asked lowly, a hint of innuendo in his eyes. Keira blushed slightly but did not look away. " There are too many ways to count." She smirked as his eyebrows shot up. Darry, who had been trying to ignore the blatant flirting that was happening next to him shook his head slowly and chuckled under his breath. Keira sure seemed to be one helluva girl.

Soon the usual ruckus began to swirl around Keira. She watched fascinated as the gang poured in, Soda and Ponyboy rushed around trying to get ready and food disappearing into bottomless stomachs. She laughed when Soda came back into the room after disappearing to shower and change. He was shirtless and only clad in jeans that were slung low on his hips and socks that had him almost sliding around the floor as he rushed around eating toast and looking for his shirt.

She snuck a look at his bare upper body. She admired his lean muscles, his six pack and his toned back. She noticed that Ponyboy was watching her watch Sodapop and she looked away with her cheeks tinted pink in embarrassment at being caught. Ponyboy snickered at her blush. Soda found his shirt and everyone seemed on the last legs of getting ready. She stood quietly and decided it was time to take off.

"See ya guys. Thanks for letting me crash here." She smiled her good-bye and began walking to the front door. She heard Two-bit and Steve grunt their goodbyes in between mouthfuls of food. Darry and Ponyboy called out their goodbye as they put their shoes on. She stepped out on the front porch and began to walk to her bike when a hand reached out to grab her own.

Keira whirled around and relaxed when she saw it was Soda holding onto her. He grinned at her and brought her closer to him. "Heading off without saying bye to me?"

"I said bye to everyone. I even said thanks. Did you miss it?" She smirked at his suddenly pouty face.

"I heard it. I just hoped you'd have a different goodbye for me." His tone was hopeful as he leaned in closer. She could feel his breath tickle her cheek.

"What kind of goodbye do you want?" Her breathing was shallow and she felt her heart pick up speed.

Soda didn't answer with words. Instead he closed the tiny gap between their lips and kissed her. This wasn't a peck. His lips felt warm and full against hers. She felt his tongue gently tracing her lower lip and she instinctively opened her mouth allowing his tongue to continue its gentle probing of her own. Her body felt like it was on fire. She relished the contact and the feelings that Soda had awakened. She broke the kiss, needing oxygen in her lungs. She heard Soda draw in shaky breaths of his own as he leaned his forehead against her own.

"I like that way of saying goodbye." She whispered as she pulled away and walked to her bike on hopefully steady feet. As she revved her engine she threw one last look over shoulder at Soda who was still watching her. He had a dazed look on his face. She smiled at him and waved over her shoulder as she pulled out onto the street. She didn't quite catch the full on grin that graced his face at the sight of her speeding off.

He was snapped out of his reverie by Steve approach. He saw his friends grin and and grinned himself. "So that was Keira. Damn, too bad I was under a car when she rolled up. Maybe I coulda had a shot then.' He joked. He quickly ducked a swing aimed at his jaw by his best friend.

"Yeah that was Keira, and buddy let me tell you, if I have it my way no one will have a shot but me. Besides you got Evie. Keira is mine." He said his grin shrinking to a small smile.

"Is she yours?" Steve asked seriously.

"I hope she wants to be." Soda said quietly.

He had dated around a bit after Sandy had left but it never lasted more than a couple dates. He didn't like hurting girls that he knew couldn't compare to Sandy. He had tried to find a spark of something with someone after Sandy but it was never there. But with Keira it wasn't just a spark that he felt, it was like an inferno. He couldn't remember feeling like this about anyone, even Sandy. Whatever was going on with Keira was definitely new for him. And to think, he'd only known her for a day. He grinned again at this thought and jumped into Steve's waiting car.

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Keira pulled into the driveway of her mothers house and the almost giddy feeling she had enjoyed on her ride home vanished like a puff of smoke. She saw her 'step-father' pulling her younger half brother into a new looking car. She tried to quicken her pace to go unnoticed but her step-father looked up and spotted her.

"Keira," He called out to her, forcing her to place the kickstand on her bike and walk towards him. As she approached he extended his hand and smiled warmly at her. Keira only managed a nod while she took the hand that was offered. She firmly shook it before letting her arm drop to her side.

"I was hoping to get better acquainted last night, but I assume you decided to get a look around town?" His voice was deep and calming. It figured. He was a doctor after all. Instead of answering she simply nodded. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and she turned to see what it was.

Jaime was in the backseat staring at her in awe. He looked about average height and build with light brown hair and light, peachy colored skin. What caught Keira's attention was his eyes. They were a perfect match of her own. He even had the same thick black, curly lashes that framed her own eyes. He continued staring at her until he suddenly cracked a tentative smile. Keira couldn't help but smile back. Jaime's smile grew and lit up his face exposing a missing front tooth.

"It seems Jaime likes the look of his older sister around." James spoke drawing attention to himself again. Keira turned to him once again and nodded.

"It was nice meeting you. I guess I'll be seeing you around," Keira finally spoke to her step-father. She began to turn away when James spoke again. "It's good to have you here Keira. I know the circumstances are no where near ideal but I'm glad that my son has an opportunity to get to know his sister. I know your mother is glad you're here as well."

That stopped Keira short. So her mother was glad she was here? Please. Like that woman could care about anything other than herself. James saw Keira's eyes narrow as she spoke to him in a carefully controlled voice.

"I'm glad to get to know Jamie. He seems sweet. Honestly though, I didn't even know he existed until yesterday. My mother, as you call her, never mentioned him and I'm sorry she didn't. Then again, Carmen hadn't tried to contact me since I was 12. If she hadn't been informed that my dad had been murdered I doubt I would have ever know about my brother." With that she turned on her heel and walked to her bike.

James stared after her with a shocked expression on his face. He hadn't know that his wife hadn't kept in contact with her daughter. He had assumed that she would have, but he had never pressed her for details. Carmen had always had an aversion to talking about her marriage and life before him.

He had felt bad for Keira, after finding out that her father had been murdered but now that pity compounded ten fold. He got in the car and began to drive Jamie to school with his mind working over the enigma that seemed to be Keira.

**A/N- So that was chapter 4... give me your thoughts pretty please. Any comments, suggestions, and constructive criticism is welcome. So push that review button for me, will ya?! thanks!!**


	5. Memories and a Job

**A/N- once again, I don't own the Outsiders. Too bad. Anywho, this is what I have for you guys :) it starts out as some background on Keira. The info will tie into what happened to her dad and the nightmare she had. More Soda action will come later in the chapter and in chapters to come. Be patient my darlings...**

Keira watched as the soapy water swirled around the drain before disappearing. She had finished really showering long ago, but she stayed under the warm spray, content to let it soothe her with its warmth. Her mind kept returning to her nightmare.

She never regretted going to the newly formed drug headquarters that night. She never regretted stealing the heroin supply that the guys had acquired from contacts out of the country. She didn't want that shit in her neighborhood. It had turned her best friends, her gang, against each other.

It had started out slow. There was an abundance of grass that popped up. No big deal. You can't overdose from too much weed. You _can_ OD on some of the shit that started streaming in afterwards. She wasn't going to kid herself though. She had tried several narcotics. But she was smart and lucky enough to get over it after trying it once or twice. Some of her gang weren't so lucky. Especially after heroin had made its way to her neck of the woods.

She watched as half of her friends completely shunned the drugs that were pouring into their neighborhood, they said it made you weak. They were right of course, but the other half of her friends wanted a piece of the action, as well as constant means of getting high. So her gang began to shift, began to crumble before her very eyes. The stability of having your best friends behind you no matter what was gone. That made Keira sad enough, without what happened to her best friend.

Keira had watched as a new, ruthless gang began to suck in her drug loving friends. Leo and his crew had decided they wanted to use her neighborhood as a center of operations. There was a warehouse next to the auto shop her dad owned. It had been abandoned about a decade before and Leo wanted to put it to use again. Leo had begun to recruit some of her friends into helping turn the space into a distribution hub. They were paid in drugs and occasionally cash. Keira had wanted no part of it and tried to keep her friends away. This had pissed Leo off to no end. He threatened her almost daily. Keira had been one of the unofficial leaders of her gang and what she had to say held sway. But with drugs involved some of her friends lost their head.

Keira remembered how painful it was to watch some of her oldest friends drift towards Leo and his destructive lures. She had pleaded with them to quit and help her get the drugs out, to keep the younger kids of their neighborhood safe. But some of them couldn't be swayed. She never gave up but she had started to fear for them at an even higher level when she saw what Leo did to those that crossed him. Leo and his crew were ruthless. She had seen it firsthand on several occasions.

The first example of this had been a sixteen year old kid that came from a broken home. He had been beaten on a regular basis by his step-dad until Keira and a couple of her bigger male friends had gone over and taught him how it felt to get the crap kicked out of you. The kids name was David, and try as he might he too got sucked into the drug world. He became a carrier for Leo. His job was to deliver the cut heroin and cocaine to Leo's other operatives in the different neighborhoods. David had gotten jumped one day and the drugs he had been carrying had been stolen by a rival drug ring. Leo had no sympathy, and had ordered Manual and Jay to beat David to a pulp. One blow to the head had been so bad David was sent into a coma never to wake up.

Keira had finally been able to sway her best friend Anthony to quit dealing and using drugs that Leo provided. He had layed low, knowing he was in danger of Leo's wrath. Anthony had stayed with her friends Christian and Frankie and they had thought he would be safe. Keira had kept her ear to the ground making sure to catch any word on if Leo was on Anthony's trail. There had been no warning. It had been the ultimate betrayal by Frankie. He had turned snitch on Anthony, seeing as how he was in deep with Leo. Not even Keira knew that Frankie owed Leo upwards of ten grand for drugs. He had sold out Anthony in exchange for his debt to be wiped out.

Anthony never stood a chance. Keira had been there, keeping Anthony company, trying to figure out a way to get Leo and his crew gone from the neighborhood for good. Christian had gone to work his shift at the bar and Frankie had taken off without a word an hour into Keira's visit. She had felt that something was off when Frankie had turned around before he left the apartment. He stood there for a minute and just stared at Anthony. Keira had caught his eye and before he tore his gaze away she thought she saw some guilt lurking there. She dismissed it even as her feelings of unease grew. She didn't understand why she was so unsettled, she had trusted her friends to keep Anthony safe. She had been wrong.

Keira had placed her head on Anthony's lap and was allowing him to ramble on about what they would do when Leo was gone. He described the neighborhood in the days before the drugs came. Carefree, hard working, honest and friendly. He had a smile on his face that suddenly died when he heard the door being kicked in.

Keira had flown off the couch, ready to attack. She didn't have the gun she carried sometimes on her. She always carried her blade but before she could flick it out she was thrown against a wall and held in place. She tried to fight her way out of the hold but the guy that had her pinned outweighed her and used his body like a solid wall. She kicked wildly as she saw Leo approach slowly followed by Frankie.

Frankie couldn't look at anything but the floor. It seemed like the world was on mute for Keira. She watched as Leo pulled out a heater and put 4 bullets in her best friends chest. He didn't even blink. Keira couldn't hear her own screams. The next thing she knew Leo and his men had left and she was covered in Anthony's blood. She didn't remember calling an ambulance but she had. She had tried to stop the flow of blood but it didn't seem to work. She held him until the medics arrived and took him to the hospital. She had stayed by his side until he was pronounced dead.

She had left the hospital in a daze, covered in her best friends blood and still she couldn't cry.

With a shake of her head Keira turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She dried and dressed quickly, needing to do something to take her mind off of her memories. She decided she would look for a job. At home she had worked side by side with her dad at the garage he owned. She knew cars backwards and forwards but her specialty was bikes. She wondered if she could get a job working in a car shop. She decided to go look for car shops who needed mechanics. She hopped on her bike on a mission.

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After scouring the streets of both the east and west side of town Keira had almost given hope. She had stopped at a few shops and at each one the response had been the same. She had been looked at strangely and either been given a simple "No, we're not hiring," or a laugh that accompanied that statement. As if girls couldn't know how to fix a damn car! Keira had to bite her tongue when she had been laughed at. She really didn't like swallowing her pride and just walking away but she really didn't want to cause a scene.

She saw the DX station on her right and decided that maybe seeing friendly faces would get her out of her foul mood. Anything was welcome at this point. She pulled in and shut off her engine, eyes searching. She spotted Soda helping some girls that looked like they might be seniors at the high school. They were obviously flirting shamelessly with him.

Keira watched with peaked curiosity as she walked towards the open garage. Soda had yet to see her so she continued her perusal of the interchange between the girls and Soda as she leaned on the wall. She had a half smile on her face as she watched. Keira wasn't a jealous person; she generally felt that there was no need as long as her boyfriends were faithful. If they weren't then she split. She didn't do mind games or cheaters, she gave honesty and loyalty and expected it in return. Simple as that.

She didn't quite know where she stood with Sodapop, but she wasn't going to lay claim on him like he was prize cattle if he wanted to be free. So she watched.

Her half smile turned to a full one when she saw Soda return a number that had been passed to him by the blond driver. She couldn't hear what was being said but she saw the girl frown as Soda shook his head.

"He likes you a lot you know," A voice came from beside her and she nearly jumped in surprise. She turned and saw that Steve was watching the scene that she had been watching moments before. Keira didn't know how to answer that so she remained quiet. She looked past him into the garage and noticed he was working on something.

"Need any help?" She asked sincerely. Steve followed her line of sight to the car and turned back to her looking surprised.

"You wanna help with the car?" Steve asked incredulously. Keira just nodded and began walking toward it, seeming to take in what needed to be done. The car had obviously been in an accident and she saw some body damage that needed to be repaired on the front end.

"Any engine damage?" Keira asked as she ran her hands over where the metal had been damaged.

"Naw. It was a pretty minor accident. Purely cosmetic damage." Steve replied.

"Hmm... Have you decided if your going to pull the metal back out or just order a new panel?" Keira was quickly forgetting her crappy encounters with the shop owners she had encountered. She was in her element here.

Steve was still looking surprised and a bit impressed as he answered, "I think I can pull the metal out. The owner is on a tight budget." Keira nodded.

"Yeah, it doesn't look that bad really. So you want some help or what?" Keira couldn't keep the hopeful tone out of her voice. Her eyes looked bright and eager to take a crack at the damage. Steve laughed at her enthusiasm but nodded. He tossed her a grungy set of used coveralls.

"You might want to throw these on." He smirked at her. Keira looked down at what she was wearing.

Plain faded blue jeans and another v-neck t-shirt that hugged her curves. She slipped the coveralls on until they reached her waist. She tied the arms around her middle instead of pulling her arms through the sleeves. Steve was about to ask about that when he saw Keira pull her t-shirt above her head revealing a black tank top.

"I like to have my arms free." She explained when she noticed Steve's stare. She immediately went to the tool bench and selected what she would need. She walked to the car and began to work in earnest. Steve eventually ambled over and began to help. They found an easy rhythm and soon lost track of time.

The sounds of laughter caused Keira to slide out from under the car, tool in hand. She saw Soda approaching with Ponyboy and Two-bit in tow. Steve was already wiping his hands on a work rag indicating that it was break time.

Keira stood and she saw the guys surprised look. Steve smirked at their expressions, having had the same expression only a couple hours ago. He wasn't going to deny that he was impressed with her skills. Soda wore a sly grin as he approached her. She took the rag that Steve had handed her and wiped her hands while smirking at the guys.

"Hey guys. I was just helping Steve with this car." She smiled.

"She's good. I think we got another couple hours on this baby tops. I probably wouldn't have been able to finish it till tomorrow without her." He ruffled her hair with his now clean hands. Keira shot an mock indignant look at him before pulling an elastic out of her hair and letting it cascade down her back.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. So lunch?" She asked, suddenly starving. Soda grinned at her and led her outside where Ponyboy and Two-bit had taken seats on the bumper of Two-bits car.

"So you were helping Steve? I coulda used some help up front you know," Soda whispered in her ear as she took a seat on the hood. He was leaning on the car next to her his hand on her knee as he whispered.

"You looked like you had plenty of company when I got here. I figured they were willing to give you a hand if you needed one." She didn't need to say anything more. Soda knew that was her way of figuring out where they stood.

"I only want your help, " Soda said sincerely looking into her eyes. She saw the honesty in the warm brown depths mixed with hope. She smiled at him and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Good to know" she whispered.

"Hey, you two! Stop having secret conversations that we lesser folk are not privy to!" Two-bit spoke up.

"Wow, I didn't know you knew what 'privy' meant Two-bit. You start paying attention in English class?" Ponyboy joked. Two-bit made a grab for him but Ponyboy jumped up and out of arms reach.

"You wanna get mouthy kid? Come here and let's see you say something again," Two-bit said as he continued his pursuit of Ponyboy. The chase was soon over as Steve came to the group with and armful of Pepsi's. He handed them out and soon the gang was munching on whatever they had or just drinking their pop's. She enjoyed the play fighting and laughter that surrounded her. She felt like she was back home in New York before the drugs had taken over. She didn't allow herself any further thoughts on New York and just forced herself to enjoy the new friends she had made.

Keira's sides were hurting from her laughter by the time Two-bit and Ponyboy had to go back to school. She hopped off the hood and waved as Two-bit sped off with Ponyboy in the front seat. She followed Steve back to the garage as Soda went to help someone fill up. They were soon back to work and completed by the time Steve and Soda were scheduled to get off work. Steve had called out to his boss to let him know the car was done. The older man came around and inspected the work as Steve looked on and Keira slipped out of her coveralls.

"Good work Steve, although I didn't expect you to finish this up until at least tomorrow. Way to keep ahead kid." The boss praised.

"I had help sir. Keira here pitched in and we got it done lickity split. She's great." Steve pointed Keira out to his boss. She was just pulling her tshirt back over her head as she caught her name being mentioned. She smiled at the once again shocked look on the boss's face.

"This here girly? You know what your doing?" His tone wasn't rude, just curious.

"Yes, sir. I used to work with my dad. He taught me everything he knew. Although motorcycles are more my specialty." She replied. He looked impressed.

"Well if you work this well with cars I'd love to see you work on a bike. Say, do you happen to want to work for me, say part-time? Another one of our mechanics went off to college recently and we've been short staffed for awhile now."

Keira grinned at the man before extending her hand and saying, " I'd love a job. When should I start?"

"Come by tomorrow 9 am. You'll start then." The boss walked back to his office after spoke.

Steve smiled at Keira before he hollered, "Hey Soda! Get your butt over here!"

Soda came tearing around the corner but stopped short at the gleeful smiles he encountered.

"I got me a new parter. Someone who's gonna take a good load off my shoulders, buddy! Your girl better keep up the good work" Steve said casually, explaining his smile. Soda looked at Keira and it clicked.

"You're gonna work here?"

"Yep, I start tomorrow!" She replied her smile growing. Soda grinned at her in return. "I was actually looking for a job before I came in here today. Funny thing, they all said they weren't hiring or just laughed at a chick fixing cars. Suckers." She wore a devious smirk.

"Well, I'm glad they turned you down, no offense. Now you're stuck with us." Soda put his arm around Keira's shoulder as they exited the garage. Keira smiled up at him and noticed that his eyes were flashing with uncontrolled joy. It made her heart flutter in her chest. She slipped her arm around his waist and said, "You know what Sodapop? I think you may be my good luck charm." She didn't explain further but Soda knew a compliment when he heard one.

Soda walked her to her bike while Steve punched out. Keira noticed the jealous gazes that were being thrown at her by the girls that were waiting in line for gas. Soda followed her gaze and saw the looks Keira seemed to be getting. He chuckled under his breath. As Keira threw a leg over her bike Soda stopped her before she started the engine.

"Where are you headed?"

"I think I'm going to head home. I kinda wanted to hang out with my little brother for awhile. I actually only saw him for the first time today." She looked a little sad when she said this.

"Well, I'm sure he has a bedtime, right?" Soda looked playful.

"Yeah, I'm sure he does." Keira laughed. "Why?"

"You wanna go somewhere tonight? There's a spot I like to go to sometimes and I think you'll like it." He had a mischievous expression that Keira found heart warming.

"Sure. Sounds like a plan. Should I just meet you at your place?" Keira smiled up at him, her excitement growing. Soda nodded his head. She was going to start her engine when Soda once again stopped her.

"I thought we agreed on the proper way to say goodbye," He muttered as he bent his head towards hers. For a split second Keira could almost hear the line of girls hold their breath as they saw Soda leaning towards her. But it all faded when his lips met hers.

The kiss began softly, but grew in intensity. Keira couldn't help but deepen the kiss, she was so enthralled with the feelings that were growing within her. They were both once again set on fire by their chemistry. Soda enjoyed the feel of Keira's full lips against his. He felt her sucking gently on his bottom lip before she pulled away, her lips looking slightly swollen from their intense kiss.

He loved her kiss. He couldn't ever remember a kiss being so good.

Keira looked at him from beneath her thick lashes. She placed one last kiss on his waiting lips before revving her engine and speeding off. Before she was gone she could have sworn she heard a collective groan from the girls who had just witnessed Sodapop Curtis take himself off the market. That thought made her grin like a fool.

**A/N- So what do you guys think? Thoughts? Suggestions? Questions? Anything you wanna throw at me is welcome... So just hit that review button and I'll be all ears!**


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